Sportsmen’s Expo coming to Riverside Park in Port Jervis

Friday

May 19, 2017 at 2:01 AM

By Pat DeMonoFor the Gazette

When the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association (NYSRPA) accepted the invitation of Maria Mann, aka The Gun Lady, to hold its annual meeting of members in Port Jervis, Mann set about organizing the grandest conglomerate of sports- and outdoor-related demonstrations, exhibits, entertainment, and vendors (80 of them) the city - even the entire tri-state region - has ever seen.

The Sportsmen’s Expo will be held at Riverside Park from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, rain or shine. And admission is free.

Albeit the NYSRPA is the state’s largest (45,000-member strong) and the nation’s oldest (1871) firearms advocacy organization, said Mann, the Expo “is not just about guns.” The event, she said, will be “an all-around outdoor show” that offers a full day of fun and activities for families, as well as gun enthusiasts.

A 2,500-gallon Hawg Trough mobile fish tank will be trucked from Wooster, Ohio, sponsored by the Port Jervis Tourism Board, and loaded with largemouth bass for throughout-the-day demonstrations of freshwater fishing lures by John Malzahn. Three-time Redbone Trout Tournament champion Brian T. Waldron will be on hand from 1-3 p.m., instructing the crowd on fly-tying patterns and techniques; Rich Moschella of The Reel Deal Fishing Show will be giving tips on kayak fishing; and Jim Root, author of “A Beginner’s Guide to Smallmouth Bass Fishing,” will share insights from a lifelong angler.

From 1-2 p.m., according to Mann, a “quiet hour” (no public address announcements; no mechanical operations) will be observed at the adjacent Skateboard Park to accommodate Delaware Valley Raptor Center’s presentation of “Close Encounters with Birds of Prey,” featuring director Bill Streeter and raptors of the northeast, including a golden eagle, red-tailed hawk, and peregrine falcon.

A fencing exhibition will be presented by the Tri-State Historical Fencing Club of Port Jervis at 3 p.m.; Silver Birch Archery of Matamoras, Pa., will conduct interactive, kid-friendly demonstrations using foam-tipped arrows dipped in paint. Children will also be treated to a petting zoo from Kasey’s Cast-a-Ways, and an appearance by New York State Trooper Anthony Zalocki and canine, Kapy. At 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. at Skateboard Park, there will be demonstrations of chainsaw-carved wood sculptures by Dee’s Bearz.

The 141st annual meeting of NYSRPA members coincides with Armed Forces Day, and the event director paid tribute to U.S. armed services in planning the exposition. Mann petitioned for, and received, approval for ceremonial support from the Color Guard of the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve during opening ceremonies at 11 a.m. The Marine Corps League from Bear Mountain Detachment 1135 will also attend the event, displaying military jeeps, and there will be a contingent of Vietnam Veterans of America Tri-State Chapter 623. Among the vendors, a miscellany of patriotic hats, pins, and t-shirts will be for sale.

Food vendors, all local, include the Riverside Creamery (ice cream), Excelsior Engine Company No. 5 (pizza and funnel cakes), Pole Bridge Hunting Club (hot roast beef sandwiches), Our Lady of Mount Carmel Society (sausage and peppers), and the Town of Deerpark Lions Club (lemonade and orangeade). There will be musical entertainment at the main pavilion at noon, 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Merchandise vendors include an assortment of sports-related items such as rustic decor fashioned from nature (Custom Creations), and jewelry made from shell casings (Angels and Ammo Creations).

For gun aficionados, the Expo has amassed gun clubs, manufacturers of assault rifles and parts, gun accessories - and is offering raffle chances to win a $1,000 .22 caliber Henry rifle, and a new-edition Smith & Wesson M&P pistol. Winners will be announced at the main pavilion at 4:30 p.m.

NYSRPA President Tom King will be in attendance as members gather to vote on proposed bylaws. John C. Sigler, former chairman of the Republican State Committee of Delaware and former president of the National Rifle Association, will also be present.

Mann, proprietress of The Gun Lady on Front Street, has spent the better part of seven months putting together what she hopes might become an annual event at Riverside Park. Organizing such a large-scale event, she said, was greatly facilitated by retired Marine Corpsman Raymond G. Cooper, who mapped out the layout and logistics, and support from Port Jervis Mayor Kelly Decker and the Common Council.

The NYSRPA, Mann points out, will pick up the tab for the use of the park, all insurance liability, and police and DPW expenses connected with the event. “It will not cost the taxpayer,” she said.